Vacation Part 4 - Southwest Colorado

Wendesday, we checked with the dealership in Santa Fe - it was another sensor and they had the part in stock - uh oh, had I made a bad decision in pushing to go ahead with our vacation without the Jeep? A couple hours later they called and said the sensor was fixed, but now there was a problem with the oil pump and that part had to be ordered and wouldn't be in until the next day. Whew! We could have wasted a day in Santa Fe, instead...

We got up and started driving to Durango and then west. We stopped for breakfast at a bakery & cafe in Mancos, CO - a quaint small town between Durango and Cortez. This place had the most awesome cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting - yummmm!!!! And it was really the first place where we saw much snow/ice on the ground.

Heading towards Cortez, we came upon the entrance to Mesa Verde National Park. We decided why not, let's go explore. As we go through the entrance gate and the park ranger tells us it's 20 miles to the visitor's center, I'm not so sure. But then we start climbing and stopping at the overlooks - how can anyone not believe in God when looking at views like that????

We keep climbing and going further back into the park. We pass the closed motel and the summer visitor center and keep going - finally we get to the museum/visitor center. What's there to see and do - only some of the most amazing cliff pueblo dwellings! We can walk over to the porch of the next building and see several across the canyon.

But on the drive through the park, we stop and see a fantastic site - the main pueblo dwelling in the park. And we see a hawk soaring overhead. Life is good! But it gets even better.

As we are driving out towards the entrance to the park, we come across 3 bucks and a doe. Now, we have been seeing the deer crossing signs for the last 4 days - but here they are just standing on the side of the road, not afraid of us. Of course, being in a protected area, I guess they are used to people without too much fear.

We start dreaming what it would be like to have property in this area - I don't think I would ever tire of the views of the mountains. I don't know how I would do with snow for several months - but it's all a pipe dream anyway - unless I win the lottery!